Method and device for automatically folding back the seats of a motor vehicle

Abstract

An apparatus for folding down back seats in a motor vehicle in order to enlarge the cargo volume, having individual seat elements that can be moved in relation to one another, wherein at least one seat element or a part of a seat element can constitute a part of a loading surface ( 10 ), and having drive mechanisms ( 12, 14, 16 ) which are connected to the individual seat elements. The proposal is made that a first drive mechanism ( 12 ) be disposed at a rotation point ( 18 ) of a seat bottom ( 20 ), a second drive mechanism ( 14 ) be disposed at a sliding point ( 22 ) of a headrest ( 24 ), and a third drive mechanism ( 16 ) be disposed at a rotation point ( 26 ) of a seatback ( 28 ).

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An apparatus for folding down back seats in a motor vehicle in order to enlarge the cargo volume, having individual seat elements that can be moved in relation to one another, wherein at least one seat element or a part of a seat element can constitute a part of a loading surface ( 10 ), and having drive mechanisms ( 12 ,  14 ,  16 ) which are connected to the individual seat elements, characterized in that a first drive mechanism ( 12 ) is disposed at a rotation point ( 18 ) of a seat bottom ( 20 ), a second drive mechanism ( 14 ) is disposed at a sliding point ( 22 ) of a headrest ( 24 ), and a third drive mechanism ( 16 ) is disposed at a rotation point ( 26 ) of a seatback ( 28 ), wherein sensors ( 30 ) are provided to detect the position of the moving seat elements. 
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the sensors ( 30 ) are potentiometers which are fastened to the rotation points ( 18 ,  26 ) and sliding points ( 22 ) of the seat elements. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the sensors ( 30 ) are magnetic or optical sensors which are disposed on the drive mechanisms ( 12 ,  14 ,  16 ). 
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the sensors ( 30 ) are disposed in a control unit ( 32 ). 
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterized in that a control ( 32 ) is provided, wherein said control unit ( 32 ) influences the drive mechanisms ( 12 ,  14 ,  16 ) in reaction to impulses of the sensors ( 30 ). 
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to  claim 5 , characterized by means of an operating element ( 34 ), which communicates with the control unit ( 32 ) and initiates the movement of the seat elements. 
     
     
       7. A method for folding down back seats in a motor vehicle in order to enlarge the cargo volume, having the following steps: 
       a command is transmitted from a control unit to a first drive mechanism ( 12 ), the first drive mechanism ( 12 ) folds a seat bottom ( 20 ) upright around a rotation point ( 18 ) of the seat bottom ( 20 ), a command is transmitted from a control unit ( 32 ) to a second drive mechanism ( 14 ), the second drive mechanism ( 14 ) vertically adjusts a headrest ( 24 ) in the direction of a seatback ( 28 ) via a sliding point ( 22 ) of the headrest ( 24 ), a command is transmitted from a control u nit ( 32 ) to a third drive mechanism ( 16 ), the third drive mechanism ( 16 ) folds a seatback ( 28 ) down around a rotation point ( 26 ) of the seatback ( 28 ), wherein a current position of each of the moving seat elements Is detected by sensors ( 30 ) and these data are transmitted to a control unit ( 32 ).  
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 7 , characterized in that the movements of the seat elements essentially occur at the same time. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the control unit ( 32 ) exerts a corrective influence on the drive mechanisms ( 12 ,  14 ,  16 ). 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 7 , characterized in that the movement or the seat elements is initiated by an operating element ( 34 ) that communicates with the control unit ( 32 ). 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 10 , characterized in that the movements of the seat elements are reversed by means of a new actuation of the operating element ( 34 ).